Thursday, March 24, 2016

Diary of a World Traveler

Killarney Day 4: "Love happens all at once and without asking if you care."

What an amazing
day. I never thought that I would miss being on a bike, but it turns out it is
just as easy as they say to pick it back up again. There are so many great bike
paths here, but today, the whole group went to visit Muckross House and Muckross
Abbey, which are about a 4.5 mile journey from our hotel. We had a great tour
and still had some time to explore the surrounding grounds and park before
riding back home for the night.

The day started
off like any other class day. But immediately after class ended, the whole
group of us headed over to the Rent-a-Bike shop on the way to town. 32 fittings
later and we were ready to set off for the ride to Muckross House. The journey
did not feel like five miles—me and some other quick riders got there in around
ten minutes. We were basically flying. It was awesome to have the wind in my
hair and the crisp air to fill my lungs. The hilly forest paths were great to
speed down, even if the resulting climb back up was a little tougher.

Once everyone had arrived
safely at the house grounds, we went inside for our tour. Our tour guide was
very knowledgable, even if he had a tendency to repeat himself quite a lot. We
have made a bit of a joke out of it now, but he did know a lot of details about
the house from top to bottom, which I commend him for. I appreciate all of the
information he was able to relay to us about the historic uses and owners of
the house, as well as the specific materials of each furniture piece, where
they came from, and why they were so well-known or prestigious to own in the
time the house was running. Among other things, we learned that the house was
built in four years in 1839-1843, Queen Elizabeth II came to visit for only two
nights in 1861 after a six-year renovation for her arrival, the house was not
fitted for electricity until the 70s, and the house has been managed by the
public and private sectors of County Kerry since the 1960s. The grandiose halls
were decorated with expensive drapery hand-woven in France, mirrors made with
blue glass from Venice, Waterford crystal chandeliers, finely crafted tables
with multi-wood artwork inlays, and giant rugs (though reproductions) from
places like Turkey, Persia, and Iran. About 60-70% of the furniture in the
house was authentic, and the rest was made to look like it would have in the
time the house was running. Basically, everything was either expensive,
expensive looking, or both. It was quite an impressive space. Sadly, we were
not allowed to take pictures anywhere in the house, so it will have to be left
to imagination just how stately this house is on the inside.

After
our tour finished, I made a quick stop at the gift shop to purchase a hat for
someone I know who wears hats. The Muckros Weavers company has eight full time
weavers who still make woolen goods like scarves, blankets, hats, and even
purses from the sheep they have on site. We got to see one loom in action, and
it was pretty neat. Once I had my shopping out of the way, our small Adventure
Team went on an exploration of the gardens and grounds. There were rock
gardens, lots of fascinating foliage, and some pretty awesome trees. We attempted
to climb one, but it was just slightly too tall for me on my own. With the help
of my friends, though, I was able to get a boost up onto the lowest big branch
and hang out there while my friend got my picture. It was a great
accomplishment for me.

After
our tour finished, I made a quick stop at the gift shop to purchase a hat for
someone I know who wears hats. The Muckros Mills company has eight full time
weavers who still make woolen goods like scarves, blankets, hats, and even
purses from the sheep they have on site. We got to see one loom in action, and
it was pretty neat. Once I had my shopping out of the way, our small Adventure
Team went on an exploration of the gardens and grounds. There were rock
gardens, lots of fascinating foliage, and some pretty awesome trees. We attempted
to climb one, but it was just slightly too tall for me on my own. With the help
of my friends, though, I was able to get a boost up onto the lowest big branch
and hang out there while my friend got my picture. It was a great
accomplishment for me.

We wandered back
to our bikes, said one last goodbye to the house, and then made the two-minute
ride to ruins of Muckross Abbey. There was not a whole lot of historical
information about the abbey, but most rooms are open for self-exploration by
the public. There are three levels, the first two accessible, and one tree
growing in the center of the structure. The walkway still had surviving
archways, which made for an eerie walk through the dim lower level. A few steps
up on some spiral stairs, though, and I was looking out onto the lake and the
open rooms below. The place felt empty, but lived in. Not much was left of the
abbey itself, but the graveyard still holds importance to those living here. On
our way out of the grounds, an elderly woman walked up the hill from the
cemetery holding some flower bowls. Even with her cane, she still moved slowly,
but with determination. Her daughter waited in a van on the outside of the
abbey to pick her up. But experiencing that woman visit the cemetery reminded
me that this is not just history that we are experiencing—history always connects
back to the present. There will always be links, no matter how indirect, that
place our reality very close to those who have come before us. And as our time
goes on and we get older, we need to remember the moments like these. The
moments that span hundreds of years, multiple generations. The moments that link
us to everyone else.

We stayed long
enough to just make it back for dinner. After a long and tiring ride back
(including multiple stops to take pictures of the stunning view now shining
with sunlight), we ate a lot and became very tired very quickly. Now, it is
time for bed and some major sleep tomorrow morning. We still have the bikes
until noon tomorrow, so we need to gain our strength back before heading out
again!